City Inspectors Faulted in Indianapolis Flooding

Investigators say May flooding that swamped one of Indianapolis’ entertainment districts unfolded months after city inspectors inadvertently left a pair of flood gates in manual mode during an inspection.

The Department of Public Works found January’s inspection oversight allowed trespassers to repeatedly open and close the gates.

The Indianapolis Star reports that on April 17 a trespasser closed the gates, preventing the Broad Ripple entertainment district’s storm sewers from draining into the White River.

Two weeks later, a May 1 storm dumped heavy rain on Indianapolis and the neighborhood’s storm sewers backed up, causing flooding that filled shops and restaurants with up to a foot of water.

City officials plan to install tamper proof locks and increase inspections on the floodgates to prevent a repeat of the flooding.

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